Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Jubail Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Jubail

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,107 in Jubail.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,711 in Jubail.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $2,316 in Jubail.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 52% more expensive than in Jubail, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Jubail is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$6.81 SAR 25.59

78.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$40.68 SAR 153

32.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$8.96 SAR 33.67

23.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 SAR 8.70

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$3.96 SAR 14.85

3.54%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.53

$1.01 SAR 3.79

66.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.26 SAR 0.96

434.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.57 SAR 5.88

17.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.43 SAR 5.37

121.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.61 SAR 6.03

28.57%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.14 SAR 8.03

36.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$8.65 SAR 32.47

45.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$6.21 SAR 23.31

62.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$10.77 SAR 40.44

49.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.17 SAR 8.13

56.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.79 SAR 6.70

16.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.58 SAR 5.92

34.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.66 SAR 6.23

45.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.29 SAR 4.84

65.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.38 SAR 5.17

45.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$1.68 SAR 6.31

-7.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.51 SAR 1.93

166.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.91 SAR 10.91

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SAR 7.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$6.83 SAR 25.63

-15.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$1.30 SAR 4.90

-71.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$24.02 SAR 90.2

-11.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$3.42 SAR 12.84

-40.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$2.73 SAR 10.24

-78.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$13.12 SAR 49.27

-53.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$0.60 SAR 2.24

158.33%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$45.4K SAR 170.7K

-49.66%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$20.8K SAR 78.3K

30.70%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$67.4 MX$1,144

$81.1 SAR 305

-16.92%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$30.62 MX$520

$27.49 SAR 103

11.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$66.4 SAR 249

-43.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$102 SAR 384

-39.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$39.95 SAR 150

-32.12%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$13.45 SAR 50.5

-47.14%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$456 MX$7,739

$177 SAR 666

157.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$7,825 SAR 29.4K

74.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$41.23 SAR 155

79.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$59.6 SAR 224

-4.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$81.4 SAR 306

41.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$85.6 SAR 321

41.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$425 SAR 1,595

170.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$293 SAR 1,100

142.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$645 SAR 2,424

299.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$526 SAR 1,974

146.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$2,706 SAR 10.2K

47.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$1,386 SAR 5,205

53.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$1,602 SAR 6,016

-32.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.62

101.07%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Jubail: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $425 in Jubail. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $41.00 in Jubail for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $190 per month, with Jubail cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Mexico City vs Jubail: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jubail wins on cost – living expenses run 52% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jubail the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 48% lower in Jubail. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $425 in Jubail. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,677 per month in Mexico City versus $1,107 in Jubail – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 13% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,107 in Jubail versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Jubail but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Jubail the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Jubail delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,107 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Jubail hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Jubail are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jubail gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.